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Preparation of cellulose nanofibers and their improvement on ultradrawing properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene nanocomposite fibers
Author(s) -
Fan Wangxi,
Tu Zhongdan,
Huang Chaoming,
Huang Kuoshien,
Yeh Jentaut
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.3971
Subject(s) - materials science , nanofiber , nanocomposite , ultimate tensile strength , cellulose , fiber , composite material , cellulose fiber , polyethylene , maleic anhydride , sulfuric acid , spinning , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , chemical engineering , polymer , copolymer , engineering , metallurgy
Novel ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/cellulose nanofiber (CNF) (F 100 CNF y ) and UHMWPE/modified cellulose nanofiber (MCNF x ) (F 100 MCNF x y ) as‐prepared nanocomposite fibers were successfully prepared by gel‐spinning F 100 CNF y and F 100 MCNF x y gel solutions, respectively. CNF nanofillers with a specific surface area at 120 m 2 /g and a nanofiber diameter of 20 nm were successfully prepared by proper acid hydrolysis of cotton fibers using sulfuric acid solution. MCNF x nanofillers were prepared by grafting various contents of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE g‐MAH ) onto CNF nanofillers. The ultimate σ f value of the best‐prepared F 100 MCNF x y drawn fiber reached 4.5 GPa, which is about 67% higher than that of the UHMWPE drawn fiber prepared without the addition of any nanofiller. To understand the interesting ultradrawing, orientation, and tensile properties of F 100 CNF y and F 100 MCNF x y fibers, Fourier transform infrared, transmission electron microscopic analyses of the CNF and MCNF x nanofillers, and scanning electron microscopic analyses of profile surfaces of the etched drawn fibers were performed. This is the first work in this area of research wherein very small amounts of MCNF x nanofillers prepared from cotton fibers were efficiently used as nucleating agents to enhance the ultradrawing and ultimate tensile properties of F 100 MCNF x y fibers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.